Freedom
by CerberusKin
Summary: Summary inside, too long to put in this little box. The pairings are unknown for right now and the rating might go up or not. I haven't decided yet.
1. Freedom

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss or its characters, Namco does.

A/N: Seeing as I'm having trouble concentrating on my other stories and I keep getting a writers block. I decided to create my first Tales story. I hope you enjoy and please review.

Summary: Luke has been watching the times of the change of guard at the mansion and has gotten the routine memorized. When He overhears Guy telling Pere that there was going to be a late arriving boat, Luke takes the chance and escapes the mansion that night. Tired of being ignorant of the world for seven years, Luke takes the boat to Grand Chokmah and has created a new identity for himself. As he travels Auldrant, Luke learns to survive on his own and learns the problems of the world that he has been kept ignorant of.

Prologue Escape

Luke jumped the mansion wall. It was dark out so everyone was asleep and the guards had passed on the their rounds already. He had approximately thirty more minutes until the second pair of guards passed by the outer wall. He ran across the courtyard, making sure he was well hidden in the shadows. He hoped that he was out of Baticul before morning or he would never be able to leave the mansion ever again. Luke made it to the elevator and activated it. As the fon machine descended Luke thought back to the note he left on his bed to his parents. He really couldn't take it anymore. Day in and day out in the mansion. Unable to leave and see the citizens of the city he was to rule one day. Unable to know the worlds events as he was kept ignorant. A few sparing details he was able to get from Guy but other than that, his father and mother kept a good eye on them both. Now, Luke was almost to the bottom level of the city and was close enough to the docks. A late boat had come in from what he heard Guy telling Pere and it wouldn't leave until late at night due to another late delivery. Luke timed it well. The boat would leave when the second round was being made by the guards at the mansion. The large clock on the second level tolled out three rings. Luke was on perfect timing. The boat was to leave in ten minutes and he had made it to the docks. He watched from the shadows as the captain of the ship counted the sailors that were boarding. Luke took a hair tie from the sack he was carrying and tied his hair in a ponytail. He then took a brown, tattered hat from the sack and stuffed his hair into it. All that was left showing of his red hair was his bangs but the captain wouldn't know the difference. There were pilgrims already waiting to board as well and Luke prayed he had enough gald to board the ship. A line formed and the pilgrims began boarding the ship and soon it was Luke's turn to face the captain.

"How much is the fare?" The captain looked at him and smiled before shaking his head.

"There is no fare boy, but I do need to have your name. This boat is heading to Grand Chokmah and I need to have a list of crew and passengers for the dock check when we get there." Luke smiled back and nodded. He had already picked a name just incase he was asked.

"Ray Theo. I have no home. I wander but I've never actually been on a boat before." The captain smiled and nodded as he wrote done Luke's fake name.

"No worries. You will be taken safely to the Malkuth capital."

"Thank you" As Luke passed the captain, he let out a quiet sigh of relief before stepping aboard the ship. A few minutes latter the gang plank was raised and the ship began moving. As the ship sailed farther from Baticul, Luke could hear the clock toll out four rings. In another four hours it would be discovered that he was gone and that he had run away. Luke hated worrying his mother but he had no choice. The first thing Luke needed to do when he enter Grand Chokmah was cut his hair short. He knew that his father and uncle would send Guy and Van after him and Luke was not going to let that happen. Another thing he had to look into was getting a passport. If Luke could acquire one then he would not be limited to the Malkuth territory, then again maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. Luke found an unoccupied room and settled himself there. He had a long trip ahead of him, so Luke took his jacket off and set it on a chair. The clothes he left the mansion in were that of the servants. It consisted of a long black leather jacket that reached his knees, black leather slacks, a black button up shirt with a black vest over it and black knee high boots. The clothes were left by a servant that had once served the household but had died due to illness. He had also left behind a rapier, dagger, and bow with a few arrows left. Luke had un-strapped all his weapons and placed them next to the bed he was going to use. He put the dagger under his pillow and the proceed to take his vest off. When everything was in its place close to him, Luke lay down on the bed and closed the curtain. His breathing evened out and soon Luke was in a light sleep. He hoped that no one would recognize him on the ship or in Malkuth, but that would have to wait. At the moment Luke needed sleep to face the adventure ahead.


	2. Arrival

Disclaimer: I do not own Tale of the Abyss, Namco does...

A/N: Here's the next chapter Enjoy ^.^

Chapter II Arrival

_The boat trip proved uneventful and Luke kept up his disguise well. They were finally in the capital of the Malkuth Empire and Luke felt more at home in the capital city than he did in Baticul. At the moment Luke was heading to the customs station to get a passport issued to him. A soldier had directed him to the small house when he had no passport to show. Luke told him his story and the soldier had said it was ok and had allowed him to stay. Luke felt so alive and after he gets his passport he would find a place to stay for the night before heading out of the city. He had already gotten his hair cut on the ship from a barber that had traveled to Baticul to visit an old friend. Now Luke's hair was short in the back and sides while there were still about three to five inches of hair left on top that was brushed forward to give Luke bangs and naturally spiked up as it slanted forward. (Think Sync's hair but cooler and goth looking.) Luke looked completely different and nearly unrecognizable. He liked it. He reached the small customs house and entered. There was a line of people to check in goods and packages they brought from whatever destination they came from. Next to that line was a significantly shorter one and Luke guessed it was the mine for passports. He stepped into it and noticed that some of the people were starring at him. Seeing as he never got out, Luke knew it was because of the way he was dressed. Even though he was in all black Luke figured that the people didn't see someone like him everyday. _

_After about an hour or two Luke stepped up to the counter and handed the girl standing behind it a piece of paper the soldier had given him._

"_Oh, the Colonel sent you here! No problem, I'll have your passport done in no time. May I have your name please?" The girl was blushing uncontrollably as her eyes kept darting from Luke to the counter top._

"_Sure. Ray Theo."_

"_Ok, Birthplace"_

"_None"_

"_Excuse me?" The girl looked up at him confused._

"_I have none. I've never known a home."_

"_Well, then I'll place you as a wander. Age?"_

"_17" The girl looked up at him again and blinked before blushing furiously and writing down the information._

"_Are you Kimlascan or Malkuth?"_

"_Neither"_

"_Ok. One more thing before I take your picture, are you just a traveler or…"_

"_A warrior." Luke swore that if the girl got and redder she would pass out. "Do you need a list of my weapons?" _

"_Uh…n-no. I-I think I got everything. P….P-Please stand right there and smile" Luke didn't smile. He just stared into the camera and the girl snapped the shot. After a few minutes the girl finally spoke to him. "Ok. All done. Here's your passport. Please don't lose it or you will have to pay for the next one. Have a nice day!" She smiled up at him and Luke restrained himself from flinching. He felt sick to his stomach but he just nodded his head and walked out the door._

"_So, you did take my advice" Luke looked around and found the source of the voice. It was the soldier he met earlier. The girl said he was a Colonel._

"_I never got your name" The soldier smirked and walked towards Luke as he extended his hand._

"_Colonel Jade Curtiss. I don't believe I got yours" Luke took Jade's outstretched hand and shook it._

"_Ray Theo" Jade chuckled and released his grip on Luke's hand._

"_Are you sure?" Luke felt his heart rate speed up. He was hoping he wouldn't be recognized but apparently Jade seemed to have some kind of notion of who he is. 'Calm down. He just asked a simple question. It does not mean that he might know who you are…' Luke inwardly took a deep breath and stared Jade in the eyes._

"_Of course I'm sure. Why would I not be?" Jade just chuckled again and raised a hand to push his glasses up._

"_Would you like to join me for lunch?" Luke stared at the Colonel in shock and confusion. _

"_I'm sorry…why the sudden change of subject?"_

"_I wish to talk to you in private Ray, and besides, you seem hungry after your long journey." Luke looked the Colonel up and down. The older man had yet to stop smiling causing Luke to have trouble trying to read what he was thinking through his eyes and facial expression._

"_Alright. You lead the way." Jade just nodded his head and started walking towards a building a little ways down the street. Luke reluctantly followed until they entered what seemed to be a restaurant with a bar up stairs. Jade stopped temporarily and picked out a table on the far side of the room away from possible eavesdroppers'. They ordered their food, received their drinks and began talking, Jade started first with startling Luke._

"_Are you by chance related to Duke fon Fabre?" Luke didn't say anything. He just sat there staring down at his glass. "Figured as much. Why the lie?" This time Luke looked up at Jade and the Colonel had to stop himself from gasping. That one look made Jade rethink that maybe Luke wasn't a Fabre._

"_I am his son. From what I've been told I was kidnapped when I was ten my Malkuth, as you can see I had hardly believe that. When I was recovered I had lost all my memory and was then on confined to the mansion. I couldn't leave or escape."_

"_How did you escape and get here?" Luke laughed softly before turning his gaze to look around the room. Some of the patrons were glancing their way and whispering to one another. Luke ignored them and turned his gaze back at Jade._

"_They got sloppy. I have been keeping an eye on the different rotations in guard. I memorized the time and the time gap that the guards left when they did their rounds. Then I was able to jump the wall and make it to the docks where I had heard of a late boat arrival and here I am." Jade smiled a little more._

"_What do you think was the reason behind your kidnapping? Who do you think did it?"_

"_I don't think I am the real Luke fon Fabre. It's too convenient for me to not have memory of my past unless I don't have one. "_

"_Why do you think that then?" Jade just smirked at Luke, thinking that Luke was making his situation sound worse than it really was._

"_It shouldn't take someone seven years to try and remember everything when they are surrounded by it everyday." Luke looked toward Jade one more time before turning his attention to the waiter that had arrived at the table. There was something about the look Luke gave Jade that made the Colonel feel like he had seen it somewhere before. Jade decided to leave the subject alone and accepted the fact that he would have to call Luke by his fake name than his real. If it was Luke's first taste of freedom then Jade would not ruin it. They ate in silence and did not talk during the duration of their meal. _

_Asch was frustrated and pissed. He had been looking for Jade since he entered the audience hall to talk with Emperor Peony when the man sent Asch out to look for his beloved Jade. So there Asch was, standing in the middle of the marketplace looking for the Colonel. A flash of white amongst the sea of people and recognized the figure as General Frings when the man turned around to address a small skirmish that had broke out by a booth. Asch made his way towards the General before he would be consumed in the crowed. When he reached Frings, the young General was scolding a couple of kids that had gotten into a fight. When he was done the kids ran off._

"_Frings…"_

"_Oh, Asch what are you doing here?"_

"_Looking for Colonel Jade Curtiss. The Emperor wishes to see him." Asch had to clench his hands at his sides. He hated being the messenger boy._

"_He'll be at the bar by the docks like he usually is. Oh and don't worry, you think I was the messenger boy and not a General with the way the Emperor has been looking for people." Asch looked at Frings as he tried not to laugh._

"_Who are you looking for?" Frings just shrugged and looked around the crowd quickly before turning his attention back to Asch._

"_Van. You better get to the bar soon before the Colonel leaves or you'll end up restarting you search." Frings walked off into the crowd, further into the market. Asch sighed and walked out of the overly crowded market and made his way to the docks._

"_I believe it's time for me to get going and find a place to stay for the night." Luke got up, thanked Jade for the meal and placed some gald on the table and left. He didn't give Jade a chance to say anything or even stop him, he just left. Luke felt uncomfortable but it was inevitable that he would meet someone that knew the trade mark Fabre red hair. Luke walked from the restaurant to the nearest inn where he would sleep for the night. _

_Luke couldn't believe he had done what he did. He was surprised that his father had not sent Van or Guy to Malkuth first. Then again, they probably would search the Kimlascan kingdom before entering the Malkuth territory. Luke needed a map to plan out where he would go to next. When he passed the market place, Luke bumped into someone he wasn't expecting. Himself. Luke had walked into a boy his age who looked exactly like him but his hair was long and a darker shade of red. The boy looked at him too in a similar shocked fashion. _

"_I'm sorry. I need to pay more attention to where I'm going. Excuse me, I must get going." Luke nodded his head after voicing his apology and prepared to leave._

"_Wait. What's your name?" Luke stood still, his back rigid and he held his breath slightly before silently letting it out._

"_Ray Theo. Why do you ask?" _

"_Asch. I wish to speak to you." Luke snorted and tried to keep the bubbling laughter from pouring forth._

"_It seems that everyone wishes it. You will find me at the inn. Please come alone if you are here with someone else." _

"_Why? Are you being searched for or something?" Luke turned around and faced Asch. A smile spread across his face._

"_Yes, I am and I wish to not be found but seeing as there are now two people that seem to recognize me, I must do a better job concealing myself. I will speak with you later." Luke nodded his head towards Asch and turned back around and headed for the inn. He had a bad feeling that Asch was at Grand Chokmah with the last person Luke wanted to see._

_Asch was finally able to get away from Van and the others. He wanted to talk with his replica badly. He wanted to know why the boy was in Grand Chokmah and not back at Baticul with Natalia and his parents. Asch made his way away from the palace and done the street passed the market place and to the inn that was a little ways away from the city entrance. He entered the brightly lit room and looked around. The sitting area had barely any people and a fireplace sat at one end of the room with a couple of kids trying to turn it on. Asch chuckled a bit before approaching the desk._

"_Welcome to Grand Chokmah, what can I do for you?"_

"_I'm looking for Ray Theo? I'm his brother and he told me he'd be here" Asch smiled softly at the receptionist and made her blush._

"_Yes…of course hold on a sec." The girl took the registry book and flipped through its pages until she land at the page with the name she was looking for. "Ray Theo is in room 203."_

"_Thank you" Asch left the desk and made his way up the stairs to the room. He had a lot of questions but he didn't know which ones to ask. Because his mind was so preoccupied with what to ask Luke that he had missed room 203. After turning around and finding the room again, Asch knocked and waited a few minutes for Luke to answer the door. "What took you so long?"_

"_You woke me up. Come in." Asch nodded as he walked passed Luke. Asch took a quick glance around the room and saw that a travelers sack sat next to the bed and the black jacket Luke had on was draped over a chair and his boots sat on the seat. "What is t you wish to ask me?"_

"_Luke fon Fabre" Asch had turned to look at Luke and Luke just nodded, staring right back._

"_Who told you? The Colonel?"_

"_Colonel Jade? He knows?" Luke chuckled and walked over to the bed where he kept the dagger under the pillow. He sat down and gestured for Asch to take a seat in one of the chairs that sat around a small table that was in the room. Asch took the seat._

"_I take that as a no. So how do you know? I look just like you? Yes. The lingering question in my mind that I'm not a real Fabre and you are? Yes. So what is it that you want from me?"_

"_Why are you running? Who are you hiding from?" Luke laughed this time. He turned his body so that his legs rested on the bed and his back rested on the headboard._

"_Seven years of being locked up in a mansion could make anyone want to run away. I got tired of being ignorant of the world and having news from the outside world being screened and details kept from me. So I decided to run. I'm hiding from Van and whoever Father will send after me, which explains my appearance. Obviously if two people recognize me then I need to try harder." Asch sighed and smiled and he stared at the floor thinking. Luke's answer cleared up a lot of the questions that were buzzing in Asch's mind._

"_You knew you were different?"_

"_Yeah. When my hair grew long the tips were blond not red like the rest of my hair. I had no memory of my past and I figured that after seven years I should have gained it back again. I concluded that I didn't have a past. I also didn't accept the reason for my 'abduction'. Obviously my assumption was right." Asch glanced up at Luke and noticed that the replica was watching him warily. "What am I exactly?"_

"_A replica created by Van. You were made to replace me while Van can use me for the…"_

"_Hyperresonance. I know it. I have it as well." It was Asch's turn to laugh and Luke stared at him strangely for a moment._

"_Yes, I believe so since you're a perfect replica." Luke sighed and stared up at the ceiling._

"_What about Natalia?" Luke's answer was automatic._

"_I don't love her. I find it hard for me to like anyone that way." Asch nodded his head and laughed. "What is it?"_

"_I just remembered that Van was talking about you today but I think he doesn't realize it was you." _

"_What do you mean?"_

"_He had walked by you today. I guess you were heading to get your passport. He was telling me and the other god generals that he saw a kid with spiky red hair dressed as if he was going to a permanent funeral service. He didn't even recognize you. He said that he saw your face and it looked like you were going to kill someone. He kept an eye on you for a little bit to make sure you didn't cause trouble and left to go to the palace. It also explains why Colonel Jade acted a little strange when Van mentioned you." Luke chuckled a bit and brought his head down to look at Asch._

"_Promise me you won't tell Van that…"_

"_He saw Luke? No. I know you were locked up in the mansion but there was little I could do. Now that you're out, I don't want to see you go back."_

"_Good" Luke smiled and Asch smiled back. Then, without warning, Luke bolted up with dagger in hand and opened the hotel room window grabbing at whatever was out there and dragged it inside. He held the dagger closely to a pale throat. Luke barely registered the black and green outfit and green hair. He held the dagger dangerously close to the throat though and it took Asch a moment to register what happened._

"_L…Ray! Wait, I know him let him go!"_

"_No. He'll run. What did you hear?" Luke looked down at the person beneath him. A mask hid most of the persons face, his skin was pale and he wore a black and green outfit that looked familiar to Asch's. Luke assumed that the person was a boy and that he was a God General like Asch even though Luke still didn't know what that was. The boy tried to turn his head to find Asch but it wasn't working out too well._

"_Asch get him off"_

"_Answer my question first!" Luke pressed the dagger a little harder against the boy's throat causing a small drop of blood to form._

"_Ray just let him go."_

"_I heard everything and no I won't tell I swear!" Asch looked down at him._

"_Are you sure?"_

"_I don't trust him" Asch glanced up at Luke and nearly gasped at the empty look in the replicas eyes._

"_But I do Ray. Let him go. I work with him. He can be trusted. Please just…" Luke looked down at the boy before withdrawing the blade and cleaning it off with a polishing cloth he got out of his pants pocket. He got up and placed the dagger back under the pillow and sat back down on the bed._

"_Close the window while your getting up. What's your name anyway?" The boy got on his feet and closed the window and locked it._

"_Sync. What shall I call you though? Ray or Luke?" Asch and Luke could tell that Sync really didn't hear everything since he was genuinely confused as to what name he should use when addressing Luke in public._

"_Ray in public, but when its only the three of us its Luke." Sync smiled slightly but it disappeared quickly. "How did you know I was…"_

"_You need to work on what you step on when your on a branch and not just where." Luke smiled and yawned. It was getting late and he needed to rest up for a early rise the next day. "Is there anything you two need? I must be getting back to sleep. I'm leaving early tomorrow morning."_

"_Nothing I can think of. Stop by Daath sometime and visit seeing as you're going to travel Auldrant." Asch stood up as he spoke. Taking a quick look at the thin shallow cut on Sync's throat._

"_Ok. No problem. Are you sure he won't…"_

"_Ray, don't worry. He won't tell I'll make sure of that."_

"_Thank you Asch." They bid each other good night and Asch left with Sync._


End file.
